


Pronunciation Day

by songofdefiance



Category: Dishonored (Video Games)
Genre: DOTO spoilers, Gen, Human!Outsider, Post-Dishonored: Death of the Outsider, The Outsider is good with kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-24
Updated: 2017-11-24
Packaged: 2019-02-06 04:47:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12809937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/songofdefiance/pseuds/songofdefiance
Summary: The Outsider (the students know him as Tremaine, but he can never quite think of himself that way) turns back to the board, erasing it and tapping a finger against his chin.  He thinks for a moment, then writes ‘Island’.





	Pronunciation Day

**Author's Note:**

> For this prompt: "Well after DotO, I like to think that the Outsider, now human, would take a liking for street kids and perhaps even become sort of a Big Brother/Leader for them (and also becoming overprotective of the little guys?). What do you think of that? Of course you don't have to write anything if you don't feel like it. I just found this a fun idea"
> 
> And it was indeed a fun idea.

There are days when the Outsider is impressed with his students.  More impressed with them than he normally is, at any rate, and he’s almost always impressed.  They’re all resourceful, in different ways - they would’ve had to be, to live in this orphanage before Emily started making sure that orphanages got the proper funding they need.

But there are some days when a nine-year-old is still a nine-year-old.

“It says ‘ass’,” James announces, puffing out his chest.  The rest of the students break into giggles that they do a poor job of hiding behind their hands.  The Outsider looks askance at the board, where the word ‘Watch’ is written.

“Does it?”  The Outsider pretends to squint at the board, prompting his class to giggle again.  “My eyesight must be going.”

James shrugs, unrepentant.  “That’s what mam used to call everyone in the City Watch.”

From the back corner of the room, Amelia says, “Pops used to call them ‘di-’”

“Dingbats?” the Outsider says, cutting her off.  

“Noooo,” Amelia sing-songs.  She frowns.  “He’s in jail now, so I guess I shouldn’t do stuff he did.”

“That is entirely up to you, Amelia,” the Outsider tells her.  “Though I would not recommend calling the Watchmen that to their faces.”

Amelia wrinkles her nose.  “I’m not  _stupid_ , you know.”

“My apologies,” the Outsider says, bowing his head slightly.  Amelia folds her arms, but can’t quite keep the mollified expression off of her face.

“’S okay,” she replies.  “Just don’t do it again.”

The Outsider (the students know him as Tremaine, but he can never quite think of himself that way) turns back to the board, erasing it and tapping a finger against his chin.  He thinks for a moment, then writes ‘Island’.

Frederic’s hand is first in the air.  “Iz-land,” he says.

The Outsider smiles.  “Close, but not quite.”

“Ice-land?” asks James.

“Again, close.”

“It’s eye-land,” Jeanette calls from the back of the room.

Frederic looks between Jeanette and the board, and when the Outsider doesn’t correct her, he bursts out with, “That makes  _no_ sense!  Why don’t you say the ‘s’?  Also, why is there a ‘t’ in ‘watch’?”

The Outsider hums.  “You know Frederic, I don’t know.  I suppose Gristolian is just nonsensical that way.”

In the back of the room, James hissed, “What’s ‘nonsensical’ mean?” to Jeanette, who whispers not-so-quietly back, “It means dumb.”

“How do  _you_ know?” Amelia asks, a bit louder.

“I read it in a book.”

“10 coin says she stole it,” James crows.

Jeanette scowls.  “I did not!  Tremaine gave it to me.  Just because the rest of you never wanna ask him for stuff to read - “

“I asked him twice,” Amelia says.  “They’re always books about whales.”

“I like whales,” says Frederic, and the rest of the lesson dissolves into a debate on the merits of whales.  After about a half an hour of shouts, which the Outsider does nothing to prevent, the class seems to come to a consensus that whales are ‘alright’ and that whalers should probably stop hunting them.

He’s so proud.


End file.
